Boost Your Creativity in Any Job

Boost Your Creativity in Any Job

Author: Harvard Business Review December 3, 2024 Duration: 30:09
We all know that innovative thinking is vital to individual, team, and organizational success. But we still often put creativity in a box, assuming it's only for people in certain roles or best attempted once a year at an off-site brainstorming session. Marketing executives Kathryn Jacob and Sue Unerman argue that we all need to be exercising our creative muscles more regularly, especially in the age of AI, when routine work can be outsourced to algorithms but new thinking still comes from human minds. They offer prompts for spurring more creativity -- by yourself or with a team -- no matter where you work. Jacob and Unerman are the authors of the book A Year of Creativity: 52 Smart Ideas for Boosting, Creativity, Innovation, and Inspiration at Work.

Each week, the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review sits down with experts whose ideas are shaping the world of work. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a conversation focused on practical insights for leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs navigating real challenges. You'll hear from scholars, CEOs, and innovators dissecting topics across management, marketing, and organizational strategy, translating complex research into actionable advice. The discussions get into the nuances of building effective teams, driving growth, making strategic decisions, and understanding the forces transforming industries. By tuning into this podcast, you gain access to the forefront of business thinking, a resource for anyone looking to sharpen their skills and lead more effectively. The consistent, in-depth dialogue provides a valuable perspective that goes beyond headlines, offering a deeper understanding of how to succeed in a competitive landscape. It's a direct line to the ideas that matter, presented through thoughtful conversation designed to provoke reflection and inspire change in your own professional approach.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

HBR IdeaCast
Podcast Episodes
When Fake News Targets Your Company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:12
A fast-moving lie can do more damage to a company’s reputation than a slow, careful truth can fix. Executives who think fake news is just a political problem are underestimating its reach and cost. Patrick Haack, profess…
Why It’s So Hard to Delegate — and How to Improve [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:54
At every stage of leadership, it's important to hand some tasks and even decisions off to team members to foster their development and free up your time for higher level work. But even seasoned bosses often have trouble…
The Kinds of Humor That Help Leaders Build Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:27
Leading an organization is a serious job, but Adam Christing argues that humor is a shortcut to building trust at an organization - and without it, you might be missing out on an important leadership tool. Christing is a…
How to Bring More Rigor to Your Long-Term Thinking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:01
Amid great economic, political, and technological change, it can feel impossible to predict what might happen next. Nick Foster, a futurist and designer who has worked at Google X, Sony, and elsewhere, says that most of…
Are You Considering Chinese AI In Your Strategy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:24
AI ecosystems are moving fast, and smart leaders are considering all options when it comes to staying competitive. Amit Joshi is a professor at IMD Business School, and he argues that leaders should be looking to Chinese…
Are You Optimizing Your Virtual Communication Practices? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
Whether your organization encourages working from home or the office, much of your business is no doubt conducted virtually — over email, on Slack, or via Zoom meetings. But few of us think very carefully about how to mo…
What We Know About Leading with Intuition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:33
It might seem risky to base decisions as a leader on your gut feeling or intuition. But Laura Huang's research has found that intuition isn't just an arbitrary thought or emotion; that it’s the culmination of years of da…
Finding Joy When You Have Limited Free Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:53
It might seem that high-achievers with important jobs don't need — or even have time for — activities that bring them joy. But it turns out that finding joy at all stages of life (along with achievement and meaningfulnes…
Have You Built Up Your Conflict Intelligence? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:28
Conflict has always been a big part of the business world, whether in the board room, between startup cofounders, or when employees start to disagree with the C suite. But it seems even more pronounced at work today, as…
How to Build an AI Assistant for Any Challenge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:53
You might have your teams and organization implementing new AI tools, but how much have you experimented with them yourself? Alexandra Samuel is a tech speaker and journalist, and she says many leaders are still just scr…